Anaconda/Network

Network enablement and configuration

Two tasks:

• Network enablement for installer - configure and activate one device to be used during installation. It can be configured using boot parameters, or kickstart, or if needed user can be prompted to enable network in loader UI (when fetching kickstart or updates image over network), or in text mode UI and GUI (when setting up network storage (iscsi, fcoe) or network repository). Additional devices can be activated only in GUI, using NetworkManager Connection Editor (nm-c-e) by checking Connect Automatically.
  • There is a bug requiring an option of activation of additional devices in kickstart.
  • Once the device is activated, it can't be reactivated with changed configuration (e.g. static configuration with fixed nameserver, see bug 504983. I want to offer this possibility in GUI (device activation). It would also allow to activate/deactivate any device in GUI.
• Target system network configuration. Can be done with kickstart or in GUI using nm-c-e. Undesirably, checking Connect Automatically will activate the device after the configuration is applied. (TODO link). We are not aware of any problems caused by this side effect which is invisible to the user (Anaconda doesn't wait for NetworkManager activating the device), but I can imagine there might be some lurking.

As you can see, configuration of installer environment and target system is not well separated. It is because in GUI we use nm-c-e for enablement, and we have to use same configuration files for installer and target system configuration.

Modes of configuration

• boot parameters

• kickstart

• loader text UI

• text mode UI

• anaconda GUI

Bugs and issues

• bug 638181 Here is a patch adding kickstart network --activate option: anaconda partpykickstart part
• ipv6 fail + ipv4 success
• stateless dhcp6

• fixing static configuration

by integration of NetwrokManager applet (TODO link mailing list, link this page)

• onboot -> activate
• network storage
• default of network --device

• media install and asknetwork?